The Bullet
by SLITH
Summary: Shelby's Mother is blaming her for everything that has happened and has come to Horizon to eliminate what she believes caused all the problems.Its a race against time for the Cliffhangers.Story is better than summary, first HG fanfic.R&R.Set after last ep
1. Chapter 1

Alice Merrick tightened her grip on the steering wheel, eyes staring at the road, hair a bit of a mess and a bottle of liquor sitting empty on the passenger's seat. Her mind made up on what she is going to do _Jess is gone… Walt is gone and it's all Shelby's fault. Its now or never in addressing this_ kept going through her mind as she pulled up to Horizon Farm's and parked the car where she did the first time to pick up Shelby.

Sophie came out of the office upon seeing the car pull up, "Hello – is something wrong?" she asked knowing who she was. However knowing that whenever a parent came without notice usually meant something urgent, it is going into the evening and parents usually take away a child during the day. Alice strode up to her, looking like a mess more or less, "I've come to see Shelby – where is she?" Alice almost demanded although Sophie kept her composure, "she is on a camping trip up a mountain – not far from here. They'll be gone for a few days at most–"

"No! I need to see her _now_! Is there anyway we can go up there for me to see her?" Alice asked impatiently and Sophie narrowed her eyes at her. _I could take the jeep, radio Peter to find out their location… why does she feel the need to see her so bad? Is there something Shelby said in a letter maybe to upset her mother into coming over here? Maybe Peter knows something_ she turned and looked at the office building.

"Lets go inside, I'll contact Peter and see of what I can do" Sophie reasoned and Alice walked right past her to head for the office, Sophie refrained herself from asking again about why she wanted to see Shelby so bad. Following her inside Alice quickly sat down at a chair in the office and began to tap her foot impatiently.

Sophie went around to a walkie-talkie and set it to Peter's frequency, "Peter, this is Sophie, come in" and released the button, a few seconds later, "this is Peter, what's going on Sophie?" he asked on the other end. Sophie looked over the counter to see that Alice is now drumming her finger's on her lap and tapping her foot, "Shelby's mother is here and wants to see her" Sophie responded, "we'll be down within a max of two days" Peter commented and Sophie quickly pressed the button. "She wants to see her now, she is sitting in the office and wont stop moving. Has Shelby said anything?" Sophie enquired and can tell that Peter is most likely wondering the same thing, "no – she hasn't" Peter answered and there was a pause. Both of them trying to figure out why she is there and why she feels the need to see her so badly, "I'm going to ask her" Sophie stated.

Knowing it isn't her place but can't get over how puzzling the whole situation is. "No Soph" Peter protested on his line making her stop from going over to the counter, "if she is unwilling then it must be personal… why not drive her up on the jeep – we're at checkpoint 3A." Sophie bit her bottom lip before picking up the walkie-talkie and pressing the button, "alright, I'll be up there in a few – over and out" Sophie ended the conversation and put the walkie-talkie onto her hip.

Walking around the counter Alice looked up at Sophie like how a dog looks to its owner when its name is called, "we're going up to them in a jeep. It won't take long," Sophie said as she grabbed a set of keys and Alice got to her feet right away and followed her out the door.

Meanwhile up at camp the Cliffhangers have put up their tents and have a fire already on the go. Peter had been keeping his eyes between Shelby and a tree in front of him, watching her for any signs of anger or being upset. Nothing of the sort on her expressions, she is happy, sitting next to Scott and starting to cook marsh mellows as Augusto's just caught fire as he was talking with Juliette too long.

He set the walkie-talkie onto his hip and walked over to his group, a smile on his face as Auggie looks at his burnt marsh mellow with a frown of disappointment. "Hey – any smores in the works yet?" Peter enquired just as Ezra placed a four-piece caramel with gram crackers down on top of a nicely warmed up marsh mellow. "Oh yes this is the second one so far for me… well Daisy had the first one" Ezra commented and handed it to Peter, David has just caught his marsh mellow on fire and is drawing circles in the air.

Scott then grabbed the stick and forced it up, earning a mock grin from David, "oh – you wanted this one Scotty?" she asked while putting pressure on the stick to bring it back down. Scott just smiled back at him, "no thanks – only my steak to be well done" she commented and then let go of the stick for it to fling down and the flaming marshmallow to shoot into the flames. David frowned and Peter shook his head as he then took his first bite out of the smore, "mmm… this is good Ezra" Peter added and then looked to Shelby.

He swallowed what was in his mouth, "Shelby – can I see you for a moment?" he asked and Shelby smiled a bit of a sarcastic smile at him, "of course my captain" she responded and got up to follow him to the tree line for privacy. On the way he shoved the rest of the smore into his mouth and finished it by the time she turned to look at him, "I'm going to get straight to the point – okay?" he requested and she nodded in compliance.

"Have you said anything to your Mom lately that would upset her?" Peter enquired and Shelby's smile faded to a frown, "I haven't sent her a letter in the past two days. I know that Jess has been wanting to come here and is most likely giving Mom a hard time with it, she hasn't spoke a word to me since I came back and put Walt behind bars. Why?" Shelby asked in all honesty knowing that was the way to get anywhere with Peter.

He wrapped his right hand around his jaw in thought, "I just got news that she is here and wants to speak with you immediately. Knowing she can't wait until we return tells me that she is upset about something, I'm just trying to connect the dots" Peter answered honestly in return. Feeling Shelby's questioning eyes stare off to the dark trees next to him. "Sophie is giving her a ride up the mountain as we speak – she'll be here pretty soon. Just thought I'd give you a heads up" Peter added before they both turned to head back to the others, Scott noticed right away the change on Shelby and got up to see her before she even reached the camp fire.

"What's wrong?" Scott asked and Shelby looked up at his concerned eyes, "my Mom wants to see me, she won't even wait until we return so Sophie is driving her up. I don't know what it could be about…. unless Walt croaked" she shrugged and Scott put his arms around her.

Peter watched from his own tent knowing his own rules but ever since Scott and Shelby had gotten together Shelby had improved at Horizon considerably so he let them be. But if he were to catch them kissing he'd do something about it, but for now Scott is comforting Shelby while she confides in him now.

"I'll stick with you when she's here if you'd like" Scott offered as he then looked at her in arms length and Shelby thought for a moment, "sure – if she allows it" Shelby answered with a small smile.

Right then a vehicle approaching could be heard and all campers looked over to see the jeep come up with Sophie in the driver's seat and Alice in the passenger's seat, from Scott and Shelby's view point. Alice does look really upset about something when she jumped out, "Shelby, I need to have a word with you" she demanded as she walked up to Shelby.

Shelby stood her ground, "what's going on?" and once her mother's face was in her own she caught on the to alcohol, "have you been d–" "A word, _now_!" Alice stated not wanting anyone to know that she had been drinking.

Scott then stood stalk still partially in front of Shelby but still next to her as Peter rushed over, "whatever you have to say to Shelby you can say to the both of us" Scott informed and Alice glared at him, her right hand in her pocket. Peter raised his hands as if to say 'okay, everyone calm down' when Alice retorted. "No! I will have a private word with Shelby!"

Shelby heaved a sigh, "fine mother" she furrowed her eyebrows in trying to figure out how she could have pissed off her mother so much. Scott sniffed the air and could smell the alcohol coming from Alice, knowing that alcohol and a bad temper are never a good combo he placed his right hand onto Shelby's right shoulder as she began to walk with her mother.

"If you need anything… just call" he added and Shelby nodded at him, "will do" was all she could say before walking with her mother into the tree's and out of sight.

Scott looked to Peter and Sophie, "she's been drinking," he stated and Sophie brought up her walkie-talkie before Peter went for his own, "I'll radio the office and see if anyone can see anything in the car. Something just isn't right" Sophie put her left hand into her pocket and picked up the walkie-talkie.

"If Shelby can't handle her mother she'll either storm off, or call for help – I don't see her striking at her" Peter said to Scott and he nodded even though he didn't actually believe that Shelby would call for help.

Meanwhile Alice has been pacing in front of Shelby who has her arms crossed, "well they can't hear or see us from here – what did you want to talk about?" Shelby asked and Alice paused to look at her. "Its _all_ your fault" Alice stated like it was obvious and Shelby rolled her eyes, "okay – how is everything my fault this time? What did I do or more importantly, what did I _not_ do?" Shelby asked and Alice stormed up to her then.

"You made Walt go away! I loved him and he loved me! Now I'm losing my baby girl because of you! She doesn't want to be in my house – oh no she wants to come here! Everyone I love is leaving me and its _all_ your fault!" Alice nearly shouted the last few words and Shelby didn't even look shocked at these accusations.

"Yes… I made Walt leave because he raped Jess and me and you did nothing about it, yes Jess wants to come here because you did nothing to help her back at home except to finally say that he did rape us" Shelby stated the points that her mother was obviously ignoring.

* * *

"Sophie, this is the Office" came a voice over the walkie-talkie and Peter, Scott and Daisy all looked to Sophie who raised it up and pressed the button, "I'm here" she said and without delay, "I just checked the car. There is an empty bottle of alcohol on the passenger's seat" and they looked between one another, Daisy grunted, "this will not end well," she said in a casual tone like they just realized it was going to rain. 

All of their ears picked up on the shout that came through the trees, obviously from Alice, "I'm going in if I hear another one" Peter decided, his eyes glued to the darkness in the trees.

* * *

Alice shook her head and Shelby put her hands into her pockets, knowing her mother had been drinking and how she is acting tells her that she won't be thinking clearly. Leaning against a tree now Shelby runs her right hand fingers through her hair to pull it back, "look, have your little melt down and call me when your sober" Shelby stated and stood up straight to start to leave when Alice then pulled a magnum out of her pocket. 

"No… you are going to pay for what you've put me through" Alice said raising the gun and Shelby stopped in her tracks, her eyes widened and heart did a flip. "Wait… your going to shoot me? Your daughter? Think about what your doing" Shelby tried to reason while staring at the barrel of the magnum aimed at her.

"Oh I've thought it through, you are the reason why my life has gone downhill and with you out of my life then things will get better" Alice said standing up straight and cocking the gun.

Shelby shook her head, "are you listening to yourself? What would Jess think if she found out you held a gun at me and shot me? Then you'd loose her too" biting her bottom lip in hopes that there is a possibility of getting through to her. _Get her mind on Jess… make her see what this'll do to her. I've got to call for help if what I said doesn't get through to her… how could she go this __far_ Shelby wondered and watched her mother's eyes.

"I've already lost Jess, I can still win her over – she'll never know what happened to you because she's not coming to Horizon Farm's. We're moving into a trailer and there won't be anything you can do about it" Alice stated with her index finger resting nicely on the trigger.

_Oh shit… call for help!_ Shelby told herself, took a deep breath and opened her mouth at the sight that her mother had made up her mind.

BANG! The hot bullet having struck the abdomen, causing a burning pain to grow inside of Shelby as she stumbled back to clutch her right hand over her abdomen and look down at the blood already coming from the wound. Her back hitting the tree she'd been leaning on, her mouth dropping open in disbelief and shock, watching as her mother put the gun back into her pocket and takes off.

To Be Continued…

* * *

Hiya, this is my first Higher Ground fanfic, hope you like what I do in it and everything. Please Review as are welcome and greatly appreciated. 

Started: Wednesday February. 27, 2008

By: SLITH


	2. Chapter 2

Shelby's mind spinning, as pain envelops her _she shot me… she wants me dead… Scott… Daisy… Peter! Someone help me!_ However the words couldn't make it out of her mouth as she slid to the forest ground taking deep breaths and feeling the warm sticky blood on her hand. She can hear distant screams, but can't make out who it is as her mind is drifting and eyes are having a hard time staying open.

"SHELBY!" she hears Peter and Sophie scream and she swallows, clearing her mind and licking her bottom lip in concentrating to get her voice. "P-Peter…" her voice low as she then hears a vehicle driving off. The jeep _Mom is getting away with this… someone has to stop her… Peter… come on you have to call out for him and Sophie_ she told herself and took a deep breath. "P… Peter!" it hurt so much to call out his name, she cringed as she slumped against the tree while clutching at the bullet wound, concentrating on willing her voice to shout once more. "Sophie!" she called and set her head against the tree.

Footsteps now rushing her way she can hear both of them calling and getting closer, flashlights searching in the darkness, "Shelby! Shelby what happened?" Peter immediately asked once they saw her. Rushing to her side, she swallowed as she let her body slide to lay on her side, "Shelby where are you hurt?" came Sophie's voice as she helped turn Shelby onto her back.

The worry and concern showing on their faces and in their voices as Shelby looks at him and concentrates on getting her voice again, the pain now making her right hand shake as it holds her abdomen. "M-Mom sh-shot m-m-me" she couldn't believe how bad her own voice shook as she said it and closed her eyes shut tight and removed her right hand from clutching the bullet wound.

"My god… Peter we have to get her back to the camp" Sophie said, her voice confident and without delay Peter scooped Shelby up and into his arms. The color drained from Peter's face at feeling her shake from shock in his arms _how this could happen to my student… she counted on me to protect her… how could her mother do such a thing?_ He wondered as they ran back through the forest, it took only a matter of seconds for him to get back and see that Scott, David and Auggie were nowhere to be seen.

"What happened?" Daisy asked the moment she saw Peter come out with her best friend in his arms, "her mother shot her – where are the boys and someone get the first aid kit!" Sophie stated while Peter brought Shelby to the campfire and Juliette ran to fetch the First Aid kit. Ezra grabbed some water bottles and rushed over, "Shelby I need you to stay with me – keep your eyes on me. Your in shock and we need to try and slow the bleeding" Peter explained while he unzipped her jacket and Sophie shown her flashlight on her.

"When the vehicle sounded Scott spotted her Mom starting to take off in it so David, Auggie and him all took off to stop her" Ezra explained while feeling the blood drain from his face at the sight of all of the blood. Watching Peter rip open the bottom part of her shirt, right then Juliette was there with their supplies and handed it to Sophie who pulled out gauze to hand to Peter.

Applying pressure to the bullet wound immediately Sophie turned her attention to see that Shelby's eyes have rolled up, leaning down Sophie placed her left hand onto the right side of her face. "Shelby stay with us! Look at me! We are not going to lose you do you hear me? Look at me Shelby" Sophie requested and could tell the warmth from her hand surprised her.

She can hear what is going on around her; she can't quite feel the pressure being placed onto her due to the pain feeling almost overwhelming. Keeping on thinking it can't feel any worse and it grows from there still, feeling the warmth from a hand surprised her. Shocked at how cold she is by the warmth, she cringes at struggling to comply with what is requested of her. _Come on… I need to focus! Fight this! You are not weak! _She gasped as she finally got her eyes to come back down and look at the panic in Sophie's eyes. _It's that bad… it looks that bad for me_ Shelby then felt tears slip from the far corner's of her eyes and down the sides of her face.

Warmth then wrapping around her right hand she looks to see Juliette holding her hand in both of hers, the pleading look in her eyes and just behind her is Ezra who looks lost on what to do. Shelby turned her attention back to Sophie, and can see Peter on his walkie-talkie while holding pressure to the wound; it wasn't until then that she realized everything had been silent. That she couldn't hear what Sophie was saying to her, what Peter was saying on the walkie-talkie or even hear the campfire.

Peter than shoved the walkie-talkie onto his hip and did his best to strap a hunk of gauze onto her bullet wound and wrapped a tensor bandage around her to keep it in place. "I need to get her to the nurses office, a helicopter will take too long to get here so the hospital is sending a van over. I can get her there if I run it" Peter informed as he did up the jacket and scooped her up in his arms again.

A bundle of red gauze sitting on the ground next to where he was just sitting, "save her Peter" Sophie stated and felt like it was almost a plead. He nodded and started off for the quickest route down to get her back to Horizon.

* * *

After the bullet shot had went off everyone looked to the forest, a bad feeling in the pit of each of their stomachs, "you all stay here!" Peter ordered as he rushed to a log to pick up a flashlight and handed another one to Sophie. "If ever there was a time to intervene – now is the time" Sophie commented as she turned on the flashlight and both headed into the forest. Not knowing of how far the two had gone in and start at a jog.

Scott turned around and kicked a stone, "I hate this! Not being able to do anything!" he complained, David and Auggie then rushed over.

"Dude that sounded like a gun shot – what is going on?" Auggie asked and Scott looked to the forest, "Shelby's Mom had been drinking before she came, a person at the office confirmed an empty bottle of alcohol on the passenger's seat. I heard shouting not long ago," Scott explained and David rose up his eyebrow.

"I'm guessing Mommy dearest didn't come here for idle chit chat," David concluded and then they all paused to hear a door shut.

"Stating the obvious… who would be taking the jeep after a gun shot goes off?" Auggie enquired and Scott quickly went over to the clearing where the Jeep is and can hear someone trying to start it. Though no one is in the driver's seat _someone is hot-wiring the jeep? What the hell did she do to Shelby! _Ran through Scott's mind as he saw the Jeep light up and Shelby's Mom in the front seat.

"Auggie! David! Her Mom is trying to get away!" Scott shouted over his shoulder as he then began to run to the jeep as it started to pull away.

Running at full speed Scott caught up to the back of it and got a hold of the back part of the roof and climbed on, shortly after David and Auggie followed suit. "No one potentially harms someone that I can call a sister here" Auggie commented as he climbed onto the back and the ride got bumpier. Alice having stepped on the gas to give them a harder time.

Scott began to climb around the side of the jeep to the left, placing his foot onto the rim for the back tire, he looked ahead to then see that she steered over towards a tree and he quickly moved back. David had moved to climb onto the top while Auggie crouched as low as he could and opened the back window to slide in. "Don't worry Scotty! I'm the master of weird!" David said in a confident voice as Scott then worked to get in through the back window as well.

Alice beginning to panic, as she didn't see any of this coming _frig… I only bought one bullet… damn it all! Why do these pesky kids have to ruin my plans for a better life? _She thought as David got up to the open window passenger side, put himself upside down to look in without her noticing.

Sticking his tongue out, shaking his head back and forth he delivers a high-pitched, "AHHHHH!" making Alice scream from fright and move away from him just as Scott then put his arm around her neck from behind. Not to strangle but to try and pin her from driving while Auggie moves up to the front and tries to find the break.

David then slid into the passenger's seat, "DAMN! I'm good!" he exclaimed in triumph to her reaction as he then watched Auggie find the break pedal.

"No! I won't be taken! My new life awaits!" Alice exclaimed and got hold of the bottom of the steering wheel to make them go into a tree. Slamming Auggie forward at the dashboard and then to fall backwards, David slipped on his seat belt before it happened so he unclipped himself. With Scott holding Alice she was unharmed much like himself, "what the hell did you do back there!" Scott yelled at her, the front hood of the jeep smoking from the impact and how badly damaged it is now.

"I took care of what caused my problems! Plain and simple!" Alice yelled back while she tried to get Scott to let go of her, Auggie groaned from the middle seat, putting his right hand onto his forehead. "I didn't get the break in time did I?" he muttered, not really hearing what was going on, not even knowing if anyone else is awake like himself.

"No Aug, the tree got the break for ya" David answered as he went over to be next to Alice, grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from Scott's arm's to pin them on the arm-resters. A frightened look came over her face as an eerie look came over his face; the Cliffhangers grew to ignore it but anyone not knowing him to be instantly creeped out. "You cause your own problems, not someone else lady" David said in his straight forward manner and she shook her head, to afraid to glare at him for what he may do.

"No – Shelby caused my problems! She got him arrested and then began to pull my own baby girl away from me! She made Walt and almost made my baby become taken away from me!" Alice retorted and this fueled Scott's anger toward her.

"NEWS FLASH!" David shouted in her face taking her by surprise, Auggie now up and sitting on the back seat watching everything happening. "Lady! Walt your husband was your problem" David added and then went into his mock expression and mock voice, "ohhhh he loved me! He would never do something like that! All of this is lies!" and then she glared at him.

David leveled with her going face to face, "DENIAL! You know it but don't want to believe it so you go into your own fantasy world in your own little fucked up head and make up a story of what you want to believe! Just to avoid the inevitable _truth_! You are selfish in not even _thinking_ about the well being of your own kids! You put this onto yourself you _stupid_ bitch! Get a clue!" He then leaned back, having noticed her strength in her arms had slackened to nothing more than sitting there. Scott looked to him and he nodded to him to let go of her neck, Scott slowly did so and she didn't even flinch.

Then leaning against the face of the dashboard and folding his arms across his chest while looking down at her, in a simple and casual soft tone, "now, what did you do to Shelby?"

At that Alice looked up at him right away as though lightning struck across the sky with thunder to accompany it, tears streaming down her face. Trembling there in the seat at trying to find her voice to say what she'd done, swallowing before taking a deep breath to steady herself, "I shot her in the abdomen with this gun" she said and pulled it out of her pocket to show.

Scott and Augusto's jaw's dropped and then Alice looked at the gun, feeling the weight of it in her hands, "I bought one bullet as I knew that would be all I'd need…" she then closed her eyes and sat back in her seat, "oh my god… what have I done?" she asked before more tears came streaming down her face.

_Shelby has been shot… my Shelby by her mother… in the abdomen, with no transportation to get her off of the mountain and a fucking helicopter will take too damn long! _Scott then looked to Auggie who has the same look on his face.

"Scott… we have to move! We have to get the jeep back to the others so Peter can drive her down!" Auggie stated and then David let his head fall back. "Are you serious? Have you not seen the front hood – smart call by Auggie here" David said in his mock tone before moving to the side to show them the smoke coming from the front hood.

Auggie ignored his commented and rubbed his head, "how much further to Horizon from here?" he questioned but Scott isn't paying attention his mind is on how Shelby is. _How much blood she has lost in the time since we heard the gun shot… if she is alive or… no I can't think like that! She is strong… she is a fighter… she will hang in there until she has a doctor… I'm so sorry Shelby that I'm not there for you right now. I'll be there soon – please hang in there-_ his thoughts were interrupted by Auggie shaking his shoulder.

"Did you hear what I just said Scott?" Auggie asked and Scott shook his head, "no… my mind was" he bit his tongue, not wanting to let on about what was fully on his mind as he knew they probably knew already. "Never mind… what's going on? We going on foot to head to Horizon?" he asked as they began to get out of the car.

"Well I found a walkie-talkie back here and found out Peter is on his way down to Horizon with Shelby. They left minutes ago so he could be half way or nearly there soon knowing his determination, we told them that we got her Mom and we're on our way to Horizon that we'll meet them down there when they get there. They are staying the night up there as it is late so come on," Auggie explained and David went into the trunk to pull out one of those plastic tie things that parents use on cupboards to keep their children out. Or that high schools use to keep a locker closed and did up her hands behind her back, looking to Auggie and Scott while holding her by the wrists, "I'd make a pretty good police officer don't ya think?" he joked.

To Be Continued…

* * *

I hope you like how I did up this chapter and enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please Review, as this is my first Higher Ground fanfic and love all input! 

By: SLITH


	3. Chapter 3

Adrenaline pumping through Peter's leg's as he reaches Horizon, hair on the back of his neck wet in sweat and his bangs dripping sweat. Face red from the run and the push to get there in enough time, every chance he could get glancing down at Shelby to see her wince or cringe but her expressions showing very little now. Chest heaving, around his neckline is dark from the sweat as well as on his chest, "hang in there Shelby, help will be here soon. Try and stay awake," he was almost pleading as he then spotted an emergency vehicle parked at the office. 

Running up tot the office doors he kicks open the door and runs to the nurses station where the woman doctor is waiting with equipment on hand. Peter rushed to the bed and lay Shelby down as gently as possible and being sure to set down her head with ease.

"Did the bullet go right through or is it still in her?" the lady asked as she unzipped the jacket and undid the hold on the tensor bandage.

"Uhhh its still in her, no blood on her back" Peter quickly said, feeling like he was in the middle of an exam and was going blank on the questions that he knew the answers to. When carrying her at the start he noticed where was no sticky feeling and didn't feel any blood when wrapping the tensor bandage around her.

The doctor then pulled away the gauze that had been held in place and it was a deep shade of red, "what is her blood type?" the doctor asked and right then an office girl came in while Shelby's health records. The doctor having asked moments earlier and handed it to Peter, "she's O Positive" and the doctor silently cursed under her breath.

"I didn't bring enough… she has clearly lost a great amount of blood and I only have one pack, she needs at least two or three judging by her size. One will help but at max 3 will stabilize her to help her recover… I may be able to remove the bullet now – is she strong willed?" the doctor asked and Peter was shocked by that question and now sitting down on a chair next to the bed but out of her way.

"Sh-She's the toughest most stubborn student I have" and then he shook his head realizing he hadn't actually answered her question directly, "yes she is strong willed" he finally said while placing his head in his hands. All while the doctor had attached the heart rate machine to Shelby and inserted the intervenes into her arm.

"Then I should be able to remove the bullet without the worry of her flat lining on me" the doctor commented, "My name is Doctor Logan by the way – I cannot take her to the hospital as she wouldn't make it."

_She needs 3 packs of blood and only has 1? What then? She's lost so much blood… I can't deal with losing Shelby… she is one tough ass kid but I admire her spirit and her straightforward manner. I cannot lose her…_ he looked up from his hands to see that Doctor Logan preparing to go in, having inserted another tube into Shelby's other arm with her one package of O Positive blood.

"What can I do?" Peter asked and Dr. Logan looked at him, "get me the tin bowl over there and hold it out for when I get the bullet out" she instructed and Peter jumped to getting the tin bowl for her. At that she put the metal instrument into the bullet hole and Shelby didn't even flinch, Peter can still feel his hear hammering into his ribs. _Hang on Shelby… you're a fighter, stay with us_ he wished in his mind as the door then opened to the nurses office.

Augusto and Scott walked in and couldn't believe their eyes, David stayed back with Alice while the office lady phoned the police for him. Scott stepped forward and felt his legs go weak at the sight of Shelby so fragile before him, how pale she is, the heart rate monitor, the intervenes and blood all hooked up to her.

"Peter… how is she doing?" Auggie asked finally, Scott lost track of his voice, Peter looked over at them, and "the doctor doesn't have enough O Positive blood, only the one bag but she needs at least 3 at max to stabilize her. Shelby isn't strong enough to go to the hospital either… I don't know what to do" Peter admitted, he didn't like admitting that he was lost especially when the life of one of his students was on the line.

Both boys walked up to the other side of the bed just as Dr. Logan pulled the bullet out and put it into the tin bowl, "now to stop the bleeding… can't have her lose what she is now receiving."

Scott's left hand lightly strokes her left hand, sitting motionless and pale on the bed, she has clearly gone unconscious due to blood loss. He then brought up his right hand to run through the hair on the top of his head to the back of his head and he squeezed with his fingers. _She is slipping away from me… not enough blood to stabilize her… come on Shelby you can't leave me… if only your blood was–_ he stopped his train of thought and looked at Peter while Dr. Logan has stopped the bleeding.

_We may not have always got along but over time I've thought of you like a sister. That if someone would mess with you or hurt you I'd make them pay as no one messes with my family… no one… Shelby you have to pull through this and show us all just how tough you really are… come on girl show us that you can recover without the additional packs of blood_ Auggie felt tears come to his eyes. The sight of her showing just how much she actually does need that blood to stay alive.

"Wait… what blood type is she?" Scott asked and Auggie looked up at Peter, not sure what Scott was getting at unless he thought he had the same blood type.

Peter took a breath, clearly uneasy himself and close to breaking right there in front of them, "O Positive" he responded and Scott felt the weigh come off of him a little. "I am O Positive! I'll give her my blood Peter" Scott informed and Peter stood up straight and gave him a questioning look, "are you sure? If you are wrong then the new blood type could kill her" Dr. Logan jumped in and Peter rushed into the office. Obviously going after Scott's health records and came back within no time at all.

"He speaks the truth… he is O Positive Dr. Logan" Peter answered for Scott, with that she got to her feet and looked to Auggie, "I need you to go to my van, in the trunk is a small wooden box about this big." Dr. Logan then used her hands to show the size, "inside of it is a bag filled with blood bags for donor's, bring in two along with the cords sitting on top of them" she instructed and handed him the van keys.

Without hesitation Auggie left the room the moment the keys were in his hands, Dr. Logan didn't stop though; she went to a corner of the room where a specially designed chair for taking blood is. Placing it on the left side of Shelby's bed. "Sit here…" it wasn't a request, it was a statement and Scott complied immediately, she then brought up a small table to his right. He is facing Shelby, "now put your right arm down onto here and pull up your sleeve."

Scott did as he was told, as long as it would benefit Shelby he would do whatever it took to help her. His right arm laying on the special arm-rester for a patient to give blood, the table will obviously be used to have the blood package lay down on while the blood leaves his arm…

While sleeping Shelby is dreaming she is in the storm still, only she doesn't have her rain jacket, her bag or anything except the clothes she was wearing during the day. The rain, wind, and hail all coming from all directions, her arms around herself for warmth as she leans against a tree. Hair drenched in the cold rain, clothes are sticking to her already shivering body. Wishing she had never left her camp site just to avoid Scott if he was going to come a second time, taking a deep breath she screams at the top of her lungs. "SCOTT! PETER! SOPHIE!" curling up at the base of the tree, not recognizing her surroundings or anything, sniffling tears of fear mix with the rain on her face. "HELP! I NEED HELP!" standing up and tucking her hands to her under arms she begins to jog in a direction in hopes that it'll lead somewhere.

…Scott is staring at Shelby unconscious on the bed; his blood has been going into the blood package for only a few minutes now. "What do you think she's dreaming about?" Scott asked, Peter is sitting on the other side of the bed and Auggie is sitting in a chair at the end of the bed.

Rubbing his eyes with his middle and thumb finger Peter sighs as he looked at Shelby, never having expected her to fight for her life in this manor. In a soft voice, "I have no idea… she could be dreaming of something good or bad, she could still be dreaming that she is in the forest waiting for someone to come." Auggie then looked at Peter, "that would totally suck… dreaming that you're on the forest floor hearing your name being called. Only you can't call back but keep hoping that who ever is calling to you comes" he shook his head at the thought of that kind of hopelessness.

Eyes still on Shelby's as if willing them to open, "could she be dreaming about me? At us together?" Scott asked in a hopeful tone that Peter looked at Scott then, to see the love and anxiousness in his eyes and on his face. "Yeah… she could be. Shelby could be dreaming about you guys beating those actors at football even" Peter offered up remembering how she had tackled the one actor. He smiles at remembering how fierce she can be and then smiled a little more at her reaction to the horse walking up to her while she lay on the fallen tree.

"Or maybe even that storm that she got stuck in for a few hours… where we had to stay in a cabin during the night because it was so bad" Auggie commented as he then rubbed his face with both hands. Remembering how much she was shaking and how Sophie quickly helped get her jacket and such off. _I thought she'd never stop shaking… heck pneumonia even came to my mind back there._

Scott's mind went to that memory of finding her in the storm _if she is dreaming that… she probably feels vulnerable – probably isn't wearing any protection and is suffering lost in that storm. Suffering like she is now… please be dreaming about the football game _he felt a tear trickle down his left cheek and Peter saw this.

Dr. Logan had been in the office going over Shelby's health files and had just entered, "how is that blood coming Scott?" she asked abruptly and he quickly wiped the tear from his face to look at her. Then he looked to the bag of blood that he'd been filling, "its coming… looks almost full" he commented as she came over to inspect it. "You'll want it full over almost full" and eyed the package, "give it another minute or two and it'll be ready" Dr. Logan instructed as she removed the first one from its holder…

Shelby stumbled and grabbed the branch of a nearby tree, but then spun to fall onto her back. Looking up at the endless darkness above her, "SCOTT! SOMEBODY! Help…" she trailed off in closing her eyes to have more tears run down her face. However she cannot feel it or much of anything else, Shelby is completely dumb and soaking wet. Struggling to get up _I can't give up… I need to find Scott. I've been through this before but how did I get back to it? _She began to think back to it all in remembering that Peter had gone to see his Dad and it was Sophie and Scott looking for her.

_Find the cabin or find one of them… I have to be close now_ she told herself as she rolled onto her hands and knees and slowly got to her feet. In the distance she can see a light and it's coming from something dark in the distance, starting at a few steps she goes at a run. Can't even feel the branches, the stones, and the roots underfoot as she goes at a full out run to the cabin, inside she can see Juliette, Augusto, Scott, Daisy and Sophie. _Get in! Kick the door down if you have to!_ Walking to the door she tries for the handle and pushes… nothing. No give at all, she tires again and pushes even harder, "come on damn it!" she said in frustration and began to slam her right shoulder into the door to try and force it open.

No give, her eyes burning from the cold wind, rain and hail having been endlessly attacking at her ever since it all started. Going to the front window of the cabin she bangs her palm into the window, "Hey! Let me in! Unlock the door!" she shouted. Auggie is sitting at the table with Jules, playing checkers, Scott and Daisy are arguing with Sophie by the fireplace. "I'm right here! Open the door!" and Shelby found herself pounding on the window with her fist. She watched as Scott got pissed off and went to go and kick at a bed, Auggie saw this and rushed over as he continued to kick at it and Auggie grabbed his arm.

Twisted it around and pinned him against a wall, Jules just ran her hands through her hair from the root of the bangs to the neck, her eyes closed in worry. Sophie and Auggie working to calm Scott down as Daisy walked to the window. "Yes! Daisy! I'm right here! Let me in! Unlock the door!" Shelby forcing herself to try and not sound like she is pleading, Daisy looking out the window but not at her. Looking through her, "Daisy? Please… tell me you can see me…" Shelby said, her voice breaking as she looks at her best friend's face showing a mix of worry and being anxious. Then for a split second the sound of the wind in her ears stopped, the hail had stopped and rain stopped pouring, Shelby looked around her.

Realizing then and there that the storm is still happening but just not hitting her, she looked back to the window to see Daisy looking at her but not acknowledging her. Then her mouth opened and in a soft and broken voice, "please… be alright Shelby" and then after two seconds of the words fully going into Shelby the storm returned. Daisy rose up her right hand to the window, her fingertips just touching the glass, Shelby reached her left hand up and placed her own finger tips directly over Daisy's.

…Dr. Logan looked up at the heart rate machine, having just attached the new blood bag to Shelby and Scott's blood now going into her. Looking to Scott, Peter and Auggie she sighed. "Results won't be immediate as I'm sure your well aware but you should start to see some improvement, such as color returning but we need to keep watch that the bullet wound stays closed. If she wakes up" she paused and never liked saying the 'if' to anyone especially at this stage, "she may become instantly panicked, not knowing of where she is. If this does happen then she needs to be pinned down right away so she doesn't run the chance of having anything she is connected to removed or her wound reopened."

Seeing the looks of worry and determination come onto them she looked at Scott knowing his feelings for the girl and judging by Peter the patient loved him back. "On the other hand she may just wake up like she does any other time. It'll be up to one or more of you to jump in… I'll be back in a few minutes" she added, peter looked up at her right away wondering what she may leave for, "I'm going to get some coffee – care to join me?"

Peter nodded knowing that she may have other things to share about Shelby that she wouldn't want to say to the two boys, and that he could use a 'pick me up' anyways. "Yeah… sounds like a good idea," Peter answered and with that they both left the room.

Augusto them moved over to Peter's chair, feeling the need to be right there incase if she is to burst awake. With Scott having the tube in his arm he didn't want to risk his buddy hurting himself in trying to pin Shelby, reaching down he took her right hand in his own and wrapped his left hand around the back of her hand. "She's a fighter… she'll wake up" Auggie stated feeling positive, knowing if he didn't believe his own words that he'd break and he needed to be strong for everyone right now.

Scott leaned forward a little and with Shelby's left hand into his own, raising it to his lips he placed a warm loving kiss onto the back of her hand. Barely moving his mouth away from her hand while looking at her closed eyes he whispered loud enough for Auggie to hear, "…come back to me Shelby."

To Be Continued…

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Wow! I hope you like how I did up this chapter with Shelby's dreaming and everything. Please Review, comments, ideas, suggestions and thoughts - I love all input! Sorry it took me so long to update – I realized I cannot do two stories at once so I'm taking a break from Vincent's Return to work on this. 

By: SLITH


	4. Chapter 4

She hadn't even noticed that in her sleep she'd reached out her right hand, her finger's curling back as she slowly opens her eyes, "Shelby…?" Daisy whispers looking at the fabric of the inside of her tent. It had taken her hours to get to sleep, her mind constantly on her best friend, she'd had a hard enough time seeing her in such pain laying near the fire.

Turning her right hand to her she looks at the fingertips, having had a dream that she was in the cabin from that one night during the storm. That Sophie was saying it was far too dangerous for Scott or herself to go out into the storm and risk getting lost themselves. Scott ended up on retaliating his anger on one of the beds to which Auggie pinned him to the wall saying 'if you get lost out there then your not doing her or yourself any good!' and Daisy herself felt lost.

Daisy had walked over to the front window of the cabin looking out at the storm, not thinking about how Shelby is handling the storm but how her fight is going with surviving the bullet shot. She had been staring out the window for a few moments before starting to feel herself break and emotions getting the better of her, "please… be alright Shelby." Daisy remembered that she then rose up her right hand in the dream and placed it onto the window just wishing she could reach her best friend. Be there for her… and then the unthinkable happened.

She had felt Shelby's fingers over her own through the window, her presence felt weak but she knew it was her. _Shelby was reaching out to me somehow… I made a connection with her_ she thought as she'd been continuously staring at her right hand. "I'm coming…" she stated, taking it as a sign to leave and now sees it is the very early hours of the morning.

Juliette had been sleeping next to her and groaned before turning over to see Daisy sitting up and getting changed, "what're you doing?" Juliette asked, having not had very much sleep either. Even though she and Shelby didn't always get along she was still really worried about her, as she'd never known someone close to her get shot. The sight of her condition at first made her numb in fear of what she could be feeling, how she could be fighting.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" Daisy asked back, not even looking at her as she pulled a sweater over her head and then pulled her hair out from under it, Jules sat up in her sleeping bag. "Your going?" she said like she couldn't comprehend what she just realized.

"Yup… Shelby needs me. Plain and simple" Daisy informed as she pulled on her hiking boots and Jules crossed her arms over her chest. "Sophie said at first light… the sun hasn't even come through the trees yet, just a few more minutes Daisy" Jules protested as Daisy pulled on her winter jacket and looked at her. "Shelby may not have that, I can't sleep and I can't keep hoping that when I next lay my eyes upon her that she could be dead. I need to see her just so with my own eyes instead of hearing reassurances that I know she'll survive" Daisy retorted, without fully meaning to.

Getting to her feet she opened the tent door, Jules thinking over what Daisy had just said, "wait… I'm coming with you" Jules jumped as she began to climb out of the bed. Daisy rolled her eyes and looked upon Sophie's not at all surprised face.

"Your not the only ones who had a hard time sleeping" Sophie said simply, Daisy's eyes then went around the camp and was surprised to see that her's and Juliette's was the only one standing now. Sophie caught her lingering eyes, "only this tent needs to be taken down, Ezra is just finishing up with his own and then we can all head down together."

With that Sophie walked over to Ezra where he is having a hard time getting the last of his tent into his bag, not noticing that it is catching at the bottom lip of the bag.

Jules then came out moments later; Daisy had gone back in to roll up her sleeping bag and told Jules the news so she got dressed and within a matter of minutes everything was packed up.

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It has been a few hours and the two blood bags have been filled, the second one is nearly done and Scott can already see the improvement. The color has been returning to her face and she is now looking more comfortable, hands have been tightening and relaxing. Sometimes she'd give a very light groan and would close her eyes shut tighter before relaxing.

Her dream obviously very active _I hope your dream is getting better while you do Shelby_ Scott thought, never having left her side all morning and too alert to fall asleep.

The moment she'd started showing signs of getting better Auggie dozed off; the worry of what they were doing to save her not working had been keeping him awake. Dr. Logan had told them that by the looks of it all that she'd pull through, the moment he heard this his eyelids felt heavier than they'd ever been before.

Peter walked into the room then as Scott shifted in his seat, not letting go of her left hand as though it's a life line, "why not you and Auggie go and sleep for a bit. She's going to make it" Peter said in a tone that to he himself felt good to use. Being unsure earlier and forcing the confidence took a look more out of him than he'd expected but knowing it is the truth felt refreshing.

"I won't leave her side, not until she wakes up, though Auggie should head off" Scott commented and to that Auggie shifted himself awake, did a stretch with a groan, "what'd I miss?" he asked in a tired tone. Peter just smiled, "come on Auggie, time for you to go to bed" and Auggie reluctantly got up and staggered off to their cabin.

Once the two had left Scott's eyes went back to Shelby, knowing it would only be a few more minutes until the 3rd bag was put on, "wake up Shelby… I won't leave your side until you do."

Reaching up with his left hand he lightly strokes her left cheek with the back of his finger's, the feeling of her face feeling warm this time compared to the start of it all lifted his heart…

The storm had calmed down considerably, mainly with the wind but the rain still came down hard, however even though she is drenched from head to toe. She doesn't feel extremely cold _maybe it's a good thing… _leaning with her back to the door and sitting on the ground.

Knee's pulled up to her chest and arm's wrapped around them, right hand out in front and flexing the fingers. Still remembering feeling something when she placed her finger's over Daisy's shortly after Scott sat down in front of the fire and Daisy went to sit with him while Sophie talked with Auggie and Juliette. "I've been out here for hours…" Shelby muttered to herself as she closed up her right hand and got to her feet.

Looking at the door she then felt a touch of warmth on her left side of the cheek, it felt soothing and comforting _like when Scott touches me there with the back of his finger's… am I getting better maybe? I miss his touch… _she closed her eyes and a small smile came onto her face.

"The way he looks at me, looks into my eyes and sees me for who I am…" opening her eyes she looks at the door and takes a deep breath, "here goes" Shelby stated and took hold of the door handle with her right hand. _Please… let me in!_ She hoped and turned it… nothing.

Eyes going down to it, determined she pushes a little harder… still nothing. Pushes harder with her shoulder and starts to slam her shoulder into it to try and get it to open up, "Come on! Let me in!" Shelby demanded and then slammed her whole body into it. The door opened surprisingly fast then and she stumbled in to feeling a hand lightly squeeze her left hand upon finally getting the door to open…

Daisy sat in the chair that Auggie had been occupying just as Shelby's eyes opened, Scott couldn't believe his eyes. Peter and Sophie walked up to the end of the bed as a big smile came across Scott and Daisy's faces, "Shelby?" Scott asked in a tone of delight.

Shelby's eyes went over to Scott and she smiled, "Scott… is that really you?" she asked and fought back her emotions of tears wanting to come to her eyes. Having been fighting with trying to get his attention for hours in her dream, to see him looking at her the way he is and seeing that he actually sees her. Scott on the other hand couldn't stop a tear rolling down each cheek at hearing her voice and respond to him, "yeah… its me – Daisy and everybody is here" he said as she then looked over at Daisy.

"You wouldn't believe the dream I had" Shelby commented and Daisy smirked, "I think I might – how are you feeling?" she asked what was on all of their minds.

Sighing it felt so good to feel dry, to no longer feel cold like in her dream, everything felt right, "pretty good" Shelby responded and looked over at Peter and Sophie, and then she smiled at Peter. "Well my Captain – what's the word on my recovery?" she asked and her using that nickname made him rub his face with his hand. Having his old Shelby back felt good to him, he smirked and felt it hard to keep from showing his own emotions, "the word is – you'll make a full one" he answered and Sophie put her arm around Peter.

"Just… don't scare us like that again," Sophie added and Shelby smiled at her, "I'll do my best" she winked before yawning and Peter took this as a sign that she needs sleep. "Alright… lets all clear out – she needs her rest."

At this Shelby rolled her eyes, "I've been sleeping for how long and need more?" she complained and Scott couldn't help but chuckle at her protest.

"Well you just fought to live, now your body needs rest from that fight to re-cooperate, we'll talk later about that dream of yours" Daisy added and leaned down to give her friend a hug. Peter and Sophie left feeling they should give the kids a moment. It felt so good to her to feel the strength in her friend after feeling her struggle at the start.

"I'm holding you to it" Shelby joked and it felt so good for her to hug her, after that connection in her dream. To touch those she cared about and to see and feel how much they care for her in return.

Scott looked to Daisy, "I just need a minute with Shelby" he said and Daisy smiled, gave a nod and left with a small wave to Shelby. Once she was out of the room Scott leaned down and placed a loving kiss onto Shelby's lips and she returned it in full, when he pulled away he set a few strands of her hair behind her ear. "We ran into complications earlier with more blood" Scott finally said and Shelby narrowed her eyes on him.

Looking up at the blood bag that she's connected to she looked at Scott, "who's blood do I have going into me then?" she asked in a rather confused tone. He smiled at this, "mine – we're the same blood type" he responded and Shelby blushed, didn't know why she did but Scott couldn't help but to find her so adorable for it.

"Your blood… you are what kept me alive?" Shelby said in a truly appreciative voice _he kept me alive… if I didn't get his blood, the man I love… I wouldn't be here most likely _she thought and Scott took her left hand and kissed the back of her hand. "In a way… the doctor only had 1 bag of blood and said you were in too weak of a condition to move to the hospital. The moment I learned of your blood type they hooked me up – I couldn't stand the thought of losing you" Scott added and he leaned down and this time Shelby leaned up to meet him and they shared a passionate kiss.

Once Scott pulled away and she set her head back onto the pillow he can see how tired she is _she may not feel it but when she is on her own she'll notice it_ he thought. "Now… I'll let you get your rest, I'll be in here the moment you wake" Scott assured her and she smiled, the smile making him want to stay but knowing she needs her rest won him to stand up.

"I look forward to it" Shelby said and felt how heavy her eyes are for the first time since she'd woken up. Once he left she let her eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

To Be Continued

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This chapter ended up being far longer than I even anticipated – I thought it was going to be like half its size. Love it when they grow! Please Review, comments, ideas, suggestions and thoughts – I love all input!!

By: SLITH


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